There are many different kinds of food loaves in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Meat loaves are made from various different meats, including ham, pork, beef, lamb, turkey, fish, and others. Meat loaves come in different shapes such as round, square, rectangular, oval, and others, and in different lengths up to six feet or longer. The cross-sectional sizes of the loaves can be dissimilar, the maximum transverse dimension may be as small as 1xc2xd inches or as large as 10 inches. Loaves of cheese or other foods are also available in varying compositions, in a wide range of shapes, lengths, and transverse sizes.
Food loaves are typically sliced, the slices grouped in accordance with a particular weight requirement, and then packaged and sold. The number of slices in a group may vary, depending on the size and consistency of the food loaf and on the desires of the producer, the wholesaler, or the retailer. For some products, neatly aligned stacked slice groups are preferred. For others, slice groups can be shingled so that a purchaser can see a part of every slice.
Examples of known high-speed food loaf slicing machines are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,974,925; 4,805,503 and 4,428,263. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,649,463; 5,704,265; EP 0 713 753; or WO 99/08844, also disclose high-speed food loaf slicing machines. Slicing apparatus are also embodied in the FORMAX FX180 Slicer available from Formax, Inc. of Mokena, Ill., U.S.A.
As described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,974,925, a versatile high-speed slicing machine is capable of slicing two, three, or more loaves from a single cyclically driven knife blade, with accommodation for food loaves that vary in transverse dimension. The machine is also capable of varying the slice thickness for groups of slices cut simultaneously from different loaves.
The slicing machine includes a slicing station comprising a knife blade, a knife blade drive for moving the blade along an arcuate cutting path, and an inclined loaf support for supporting a food loaf for movement by gravity along a loaf path intersecting the cutting path. Two short loaf feed conveyors are arranged along the loaf path, the short conveyors being spaced from each other and engaging opposite sides of the food loaf immediately ahead of the cutting path. A variable speed conveyor drive circulates the two short conveyors at variable speeds to vary thickness of slices cut from the loaves.
An orifice plate is arranged adjacent to the cutting path. The orifice plate includes two orifices for gripping and guiding the two loaves individually into the cutting path during the slicing operation. The orifices of the orifice plate are adjustable in size by use of slide members moved by rods, the slide members each forming part of a rim of an orifice. Adjustment of orifice size to conform to varying loaf transverse dimensions is taken up from one side, by moving a respective rod from the outside. By reducing or enlarging the orifice using this arrangement, the location of the centerline of the orifice is moved.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,263 also discloses an adjustable orifice size in a slicing machine. The automatic adjustment of the orifice size is also taken up from one direction and as a result of orifice size adjustment; the location of the centerline of the orifice is moved.
The present inventors have recognized that it would be desirable to provide a slicing machine that would accommodate orifice size adjustment without changing the location of the centerline of the loaf being sliced. The present inventors have recognized that it would be desirable to provide a slicing machine that could accommodate loaves of varying lateral dimension while at the same time maintaining a constant centerline of the loaf being sliced such that slices cut from the loaf can be neatly stacked or shingled along a common centerline on a receiving surface.
The invention provides an adjustable orifice member for guiding one or more food loaves into the cutting path of a cyclically operating slicing blade. The invention includes the orifice member being automatically adjustable to grip food loaves of varying lateral dimension while also maintaining a constant orifice centerline.
The invention is particularly advantageous in that slices cut from a food loaf having a constant orifice centerline can be received on a receiving surface in a constant and precise centerline alignment. Straight stacks can be accumulated in a reliable manner on a stationary receiving surface and shingled stacks can be formed along a straight longitudinal line on a receiving conveyor. This provides for a more attractive arrangement of slices for packaging and sale.
The invention provides a slicing machine that is particularly adapted to slice two loaves simultaneously wherein the two loaves are gripped and guided by an orifice plate having dual, automatically adjusted orifices.
According to an exemplary embodiment, an orifice assembly includes one or more subassemblies that each include a slide housing mounted for sliding on a stationary frame, and a slide member mounted slidably on the slide housing. The slide housing and slide member together define an orifice.
A plunger is secured to the slide member and is acted upon by an actuator that exerts a continuous inward force on the slide member. A linkage is operatively connected to the plunger and to the slide housing. The linkage is configured to draw the slide housing in an outward direction by an amount equal to the inward movement of the slide member during orifice contraction. The linkage also ensures that during orifice expansion by force from the loaf against the slide housing and slide member, against the urging of the actuator, the slide housing and slide member move by an equal amount. By drawing the slide housing and the slide member together, or by allowing the slide housing and the slide member to move apart, by equal distances, the location of the orifice centerline remains constant.
The invention overcomes the difficulties of prior orifice adjusting arrangements wherein the lateral dimension of the orifice is adjusted from one side only wherein the adjustment effectively changes the location of the centerline of the orifice.
Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will be become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings.